Denver health inspectors recently gave CBS Colorado a glimpse into their food truck inspections after a concerning incident involving a street vendor. This came after footage showed bleach being poured on the vendor’s food, raising questions about safety practices.
Inspectors from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) have been watching a vendor named Tacolorado closely. They discovered that Tacolorado was repeatedly serving food without a proper business license, storing meat at unsafe temperatures, and using propane cooking equipment in risky ways.
To address these issues, DDPHE made communication easier by providing materials in Spanish. They issued cease-and-desist orders and attempted to contact the owner, Isidro García Barrientos, through both email and mail. However, García Barrientos claims he wasn’t properly informed of the violations and is eager to comply but lacks guidance on the licensing process.
He is now looking to rent a food truck and find a proper licensed kitchen to prepare food, a requirement for mobile vendors. However, he noted that costs are a significant barrier.
DDPHE reported that Tacolorado failed multiple inspections:
– On October 28, inspectors found 120 pounds of meat at unsafe temperatures, leading to the first cease-and-desist order.
– On October 31, inspectors discarded 25 pounds of denatured food.
– By November 15, workers tried hiding nearly 100 pounds of meat to avoid disposal.
– On November 17, a second citation was issued.
During one inspection, inspectors resorted to pouring bleach on the contaminated food to prevent it from being sold elsewhere. They say that in 2023 alone, 3,077 inspections were conducted, with about 349 resulting in food disposals. This included instances where bleach was used in about 2% of these cases.
“Our goal is to prevent any chance of foodborne illness,” said Emily Williams from DDPHE.
To provide context on what proper compliance looks like, CBS Colorado was shown an inspection at Saucy Chops, a licensed food truck operating in Denver for five years. Licensed food trucks must meet specific standards:
– A hand-washing sink with hot water
– A sanitizing solution
– Refrigeration that keeps food at 41°F or colder
– Hot food maintained at 135°F or higher
– Access to a licensed commercial kitchen
City officials reported a growing number of licensed food trucks, from 682 in 2022 to 709 today, indicating a positive trend toward compliance.
Eric Escudero from the Licensing and Consumer Protection department stated that Tacolorado has no record of a pending or previous license application. He emphasized the importance of legal compliance, particularly for public safety and accessibility for all citizens.
DDPHE acknowledges that many unlicensed vendors want to support their families but may struggle with the costs of permits and proper equipment. They offer bilingual resources to help vendors comply but note that unlicensed operations can create unfair competition for those who follow the rules.
Lastly, citizens are encouraged to report any suspected foodborne illnesses anonymously through 311, allowing health inspectors to track and manage potential outbreaks effectively.
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